Project description DEENESFRITPL Impact of invasive crop pests on arthropod communities Invasive alien herbivore species pose a major threat to agriculture by directly damaging crops. They also indirectly impact on native arthropod communities, causing unpredictable outbreaks of native pest species. However, invasive species have been rarely studied within arthropod communities. The EU-funded PESTNET project will address this knowledge gap by investigating the ecological consequences of a human-introduced alien crop pest on an invaded trophic network. Researchers will use a model system represented by the highly invasive brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), native stink bug species and shared egg parasitoids. They will assess indirect pest facilitation mediated by host-parasitoid prevalence in non-invaded vs. invaded networks and evaluate stink bug community changes to estimate spatial trends in their abundance. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Invasive alien herbivore species are a major threat to agriculture because they directly damage crops and induce severe yield losses, but also because they indirectly impact the structure, stability and functioning of native arthropod communities. Indirect facilitation mechanisms can cause unpredictable outbreaks of native pest species but, surprisingly, they have been rarely studied within arthropod communities. Within the framework of invasive species management (Regulation EU 1143/2014), understanding pest facilitation mechanisms is a research priority. This is also because invasive species negatively impact the reliability of agricultural Decision Support Systems, used in sustainable agriculture (Directive 2009/128/EC). PESTNET aims, as general objective, at developing a novel inter- multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach (field monitoring, DNA metabarcoding, multilayer ecological network analyses, citizen science) to depict the basic and applied ecological consequences of a human-introduced alien crop pest on the invaded trophic network. The model system used for implementation is represented by the highly invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys, native stink bug species and shared egg parasitoids. An original two-fold cutting-edge approach is proposed aiming at assessing the following specific objectives: Obj. 1) Evaluation of indirect pest facilitation mediated by host-parasitoid prevalence in non-invaded vs. invaded networks; Obj. 2) Evaluation of stink bug community changes using a mobile monitoring system (app) to estimate spatial trends in stink bugs abundance. Through the involvement of academic and non academic (industry) partners, the project will provide novel insights on how an invasive herbivore pest of worldwide economic importance is impacting sustainable agriculture by interference with the local arthropod community. Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculturenatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAsocial sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil societynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyinvasive speciesnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyinvertebrate zoology Keywords Halyomorpha halys egg parasitoids trophic interactions DNA-based detection of trophic interactions invasive alien species citizen-science Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA Net EU contribution € 255 768,00 Address PIAZZA DELL UNIVERSITA 1 06123 Perugia Italy See on map Region Centro (IT) Umbria Perugia Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 255 768,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. UNIVERSITE DE MONTREAL Canada Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address CP 6128 Station Centre Ville H3C3J7 Montreal See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 164 031,36
